Atomizing device



Feb. 14, 1939. D. HOPPENSTAND ATOMIZING DEVICE Filed May 4, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTOR.

BY W,M4M

ATTORNEYS Feb. 14, 1939. HOPPENSTAND 2,l47, 603

ATOMIZING DEVICE Filed May 4, 193'? v 2- Sheets-Sheet 2 a s gt} .IQQ

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS 'a piston rod lit by a nut l5.

Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATOMIZING DEVICE.

Application May 4, 1937, Serial No. 140,698

4 Claims.

This invention relates to atomizers and has for its principal object the breaking up of fuel oil into very fine particles so that it will not readily go back into its thick or heavy state. The oil may, if desired, be combined with a small amount of air during atomization. This condition of the oil facilitates combustion in fuel oil-consuming apparatus, such as oil-burners, gas or oil engines, etc. The oil is finely divided, flows more easily and can more readily be further atomized as it is forced through a burner tip or taken through a carbureter.

Fuel oil treated in accordance with my invention and mixed with air may be used in gas engines with only slight changes in the carburetion system. The principle of the apparatus is to force the oil through very fine openings a great number of times before it is used. Specifically the apparatus consists of an oil cylinder in which a very finely perforated piston is reciprocated at a proper rate of speed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of the atomizer.

Fig. 2 is a section upon line 2-2 of Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the crank disk and crank plll.

Fig. 4 is a section upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is an arrangement drawing showing the hook up of my device in connection with an oil burner.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a base or bracket 6 is provided with lugs l drilled as at 8 for securing it to any suitable support. A cylinder I5 is secured to bracket 5 by means of screws 9, Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. A drain fitting [a is disposed at the lower end of the cylinder. In cylinder I8 is disposed a reciprocable piston II, which is perforated with very fine holes l2. A piston ring i la seals the space between the piston and the cylinder wall. The piston is secured to The lower end of the rod is provided with a chamber lA, the upper portion of which is reduced as shown at l6, forming a check valve seat [1. The upper portion I6 of the chamber communicates with ports l8 and is normally closed by a ball check valve l9 held in place by a spring 28. The spring 28 is held in position by a nut 2 i, provided with holes 22. The top part of the cylinder is closed by a cover 23, provided with packing and the packing gland 25. The lower end of the cylinder is connected with an inlet pipe 28 and check valve 21, which will let oil pass into the cylinder only.

A pipe 28 connects near the top of the cylinder and with a check valve 29, which will permit oil to pass out of the cylinder only. To the top of the piston rod 1 3 is rigidly connected a cross slide 35 on the top side of which is formed or connected a rod portion 3|, which is in line with piston rod l3.

Free to slide in the cross slide 38 is a block 32 rotatably mounted on a crank pin 33, the outer end of which is threaded and provided with a nut 34. The inner end of the crank pin is squared as at 35 and free to slide in a slot 36. Through the squared portion 35 of the crank pin 33 is passed a screw 31. This screw is located in the slot 36 of the crank disk 38, Fig. 3. The right hand portion of the screw 31 is turned down and provided with a shank 39 which passes through a hole 48 in the crank disk. The right hand end of shank 39 is threaded as at 4| and provided with a lock nut 42. The left hand end of the screw 31 passes through a hole 43, which is a little larger than the outside diameter of the screw. The left hand end of the screw 31 is provided with a screw driver slot 44. It is evident that by turning the screw 31, the crank pin 33 can be moved toward or from the center of crank disk 38.

Formed as a part of or secured to the crank disk 38 is a spur gear 45. rigidly supported on a stub shaft 46, free to rotate in the supporting bracket 6. A collar 41 serves to prevent end play of the shaft 46. A pinion 48 is supported on a shaft 49, which is secured to the shaft of a motor 53, by any suitable means such as a jaw coupling 50. A cover 5| encloses the crank mechanism. The cover is secured in place by means of bolts 52. The rod 3| slidably protrudes through the top of the cover as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 5, A, shows the atomizing system secured in place at the end of a motor 53 for operating an oil burner. The usual fan is shown at 54 and the fuel pump at 55. A fuel supply pipe 55 for the fuel pump leads to a reservoir (not shown) and a discharge pipe 51 is connected to the lower check valve 21. A discharge pipe 58 leading from the top of the atomizer connects with a pipe 59, to which a burner tip 60 is attached and through which the oil is finally passed for entering the fire box 6!.

The method of operation is as follows: As the oil burner is set into operation, the fuel pump 55 draws in oil through pipe 56 and discharges it through pipe 51, through check valve 21 into cylinder ID. The motor 53 drives pinion 48 and gear 45, rotating the crank disk 38. This, through the medium of crank pin 33 and cross slide 30, will The spur gear 45 is cause piston rod l3 and piston H to reciprocate. As the piston moves downward, all the oil in the lower part of the cylinder will be forced through the small perforations l2, and as the piston is. moved upward, the oil above the piston will pass partly through the perforations 12, but the greater part through ports l8, past the ball check valve l9 and through the holes 22 into the lower part of the cylinder. This relieves the pressure on the top side of the piston to a great extent and prevents an undue amount of oil from being forced out through pipe 28 and check valve 29, pipe 58 and finally the burner tip 60. Due to the capac ity of the cylinder and the speed of piston I I, the oil will be forced several times through the perforations l2 before it is finally discharged through the burner tip. A small amount of air is taken in through the fuel pump and the oil and the air passed together through the atomizing device. If desired, my atomizing device may be connected on the suction side of the pump 55 that is check valve 21, Fig. 1 will be connected to the oil supply and the check valve 29 will be connected to the suction side of the pump and the pump discharge directly into the burner tip.

By turning screw 31, Fig. 3, changing the throw of the crankpin 33, the length of the stroke of the piston will be changed and the amount of the oil passing through the perforations I2 of the piston will be proportionately changed. With very light oils, the crank pin 33 may be brought very near to the center of the crank disk or to the center of the crank disk at which point no motion of the piston will take place.

While I have shown and described a particular form of embodiment of my invention, I am aware that many minor changes will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, to avoid being limited to the particular form of embodiment which I have hereinabove shown and described. Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

I claim:

1. Apparatus for atomizing fuel oil comprising a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein having a plurality of perforations, means for reciprocating the piston in said cylinder, connections for supplying oil to the cylinder on one side of the piston and for discharging it therefrom on the other side of the piston, and means, including a passage many times larger than one of said perforations, for lay-passing oil around said perforations on movement of the piston in one direction.

2. Apparatus for atomizing fuel oil comprising a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein'having a plurality of perforations, means for reciprocating the piston in said cylinder, connections for supplying oil to the cylinder on one side of the piston and for discharging it therefrom on the other side of the piston, a pump cooperating with said connections to supply oil to the cylinder, and means, including a passage many times larger than one of the perforations, for lay-passing oil around the perforations on movement of the piston in one direction.

.3. Apparatus for atomizing fuel oil comprising a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein having a plurality of perforations, means for reciprocating the piston in the cylinder, connections for supplying oil to the cylinder on one side of the piston and for discharging it therefrom on the other side of the piston, said connections including check valves for preventing back-flow of oil on reversal of the piston, and means for lay-passing oil around said perforations on movement of the piston in one direction.

4. An atomizing device comprising a cylinder. a piston therein having a plurality of perforations, means for reciprocating the piston in the cylinder,

means including a pump and connections for DAVID HOPPEN STAN D. 

